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Equipment RequirementsBring your own camera. 35 mm SLR or digital SLR recommended but not required. Wide angle (20-35 mm) lense, macro lens or close-up filter useful. Short to medium (80-200 mm) telephoto lense also useful. Tripod and cable release are invaluable. Program emphasis is on all phases of digital photography, but film and SLR users are also welcome to attend program and receive instruction from Arizona Highways Photographer. However, we will not be able to process SLR or print film for critique during the week; only digital photos will be critiqued during week.

Itinerary for Feb 9 — Feb 14, 2014

Description: Scottsdale Cottonwoods Resort is a peaceful, green 25 acre retreat tucked into the Sonoran Desert. Secluded yet convenient, just 12 miles from the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport (PHX) and 4 miles from Old Town Scottsdale with its world renowned dining and galleries.
Nestled at the foot of Camelback Mountain and drenched in sunshine an astonishing 300 days a year, our resort features beautifully manicured grounds, two swimming pools/spas, and lodging is spread out in single story "casitas" where each unit has an individual front deck and rear porch. Participants need to be aware that because of the resorts large footprint, they may be required to walk up to 1/4 mile a day going from their room to the conference center and restaurant.

Smoking policy: NoSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Additional nights before: Seasonal;Rates vary, winter is peak season. To make reservations, please call the hotel during normal working hours, M- F, and ask for Tammy. The room style we use is called the "Flagstaff Casita" so please ask for that accommodation level or otherwise you will need to move rooms between stays. Please let Tammy know you are coming for a Road scholar program and desire to stay in the same room. Have the program number and start date ready. A discount will be offered for pre/post stays.

Check in time: 4:00 PM

Day One: Sunday, February 09 - Check-In and Program Registration/Orientation

Afternoon: Please arrive at the hotel by 4:30pm. Check into your room at the front desk and at 5:00 pm register with Road Scholar staff in the Main lobby. You will then have until 6:00 PM to settle into your room.

Dinner: Dinners at the hotel or at a local restaurant. Please arrive at the time indicated on your itinerary.

Evening: After dinner we will have orientation. This will provide you with information about the hotel, program itinerary, instructors, venues and on site staff. This is also a good opportunity to ask questions!

Description: Scottsdale Cottonwoods Resort is a peaceful, green 25 acre retreat tucked into the Sonoran Desert. Secluded yet convenient, just 12 miles from the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport (PHX) and 4 miles from Old Town Scottsdale with its world renowned dining and galleries.
Nestled at the foot of Camelback Mountain and drenched in sunshine an astonishing 300 days a year, our resort features beautifully manicured grounds, two swimming pools/spas, and lodging is spread out in single story "casitas" where each unit has an individual front deck and rear porch. Participants need to be aware that because of the resorts large footprint, they may be required to walk up to 1/4 mile a day going from their room to the conference center and restaurant.

Smoking policy: NoSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Additional nights before: Seasonal;Rates vary, winter is peak season. To make reservations, please call the hotel during normal working hours, M- F, and ask for Tammy. The room style we use is called the "Flagstaff Casita" so please ask for that accommodation level or otherwise you will need to move rooms between stays. Please let Tammy know you are coming for a Road scholar program and desire to stay in the same room. Have the program number and start date ready. A discount will be offered for pre/post stays.

Check in time: 4:00 PM

Day Two: Monday, February 10 - Photography Class/MacDonald Ranch

Note: Several walks carry your own equipment up to one half mile each.

Breakfast: Come down by the time indicated on the itinerary, just be sure to allow enough time to arrive promptly for the morning activity!

Morning: Anyone with one of today's cameras can take a picture; not everyone can be called a photographer. Many of today's cameras are so "smart" that a person can literally point and shoot with the results being very acceptable more often than not. The question regarding equipment is, do you run it or does it run you? Which route to take? Your path or the beaten path? Discover your own unique path to stunning photography under the guided tutelage of an Arizona Highways Photographer. Unlock the secrets of professional photographers and learn to capture the "soul" of a place as opposed to merely its physical appearance. View the world with the eye of a photographer and uncover the beauty and picturesque moments and scenes surrounding you during this photography class.

Lunch: Lunch will either be a delicious meal at the hotel or a savory dish at a favorite local restaurant.

Afternoon: Field trip to 1300 acre ranch in the lush Sonoran desert. Experience the magic of the desert in the true spirit of the west. Enjoy endless saguaros and fascinating wildlife.

Dinner: Enjoy a cowboy cookout in a rustic old-west setting.

Evening: Return to hotel upon conclusion of photo shoot and cowboy cookout.

Description: Scottsdale Cottonwoods Resort is a peaceful, green 25 acre retreat tucked into the Sonoran Desert. Secluded yet convenient, just 12 miles from the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport (PHX) and 4 miles from Old Town Scottsdale with its world renowned dining and galleries.
Nestled at the foot of Camelback Mountain and drenched in sunshine an astonishing 300 days a year, our resort features beautifully manicured grounds, two swimming pools/spas, and lodging is spread out in single story "casitas" where each unit has an individual front deck and rear porch. Participants need to be aware that because of the resorts large footprint, they may be required to walk up to 1/4 mile a day going from their room to the conference center and restaurant.

Smoking policy: NoSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Additional nights before: Seasonal;Rates vary, winter is peak season. To make reservations, please call the hotel during normal working hours, M- F, and ask for Tammy. The room style we use is called the "Flagstaff Casita" so please ask for that accommodation level or otherwise you will need to move rooms between stays. Please let Tammy know you are coming for a Road scholar program and desire to stay in the same room. Have the program number and start date ready. A discount will be offered for pre/post stays.

Check in time: 4:00 PM

Day Three: Tuesday, February 11 - Phoenix's Desert Botanical Garden and the Sonoran...

Note: Several walks carry your own equipment up to one half mile each.

Breakfast: Come down by the time indicated on the itinerary, just be sure to allow enough time to arrive promptly for the morning activity!

Morning: Photo shoot at the Desert Botanical Gardens. One of only 44 botanical gardens accredited by the American Association of Museums, this one-of-a-kind museum showcases 50 acres of beautiful outdoor exhibits. Home to 139 rare, threatened and endangered plant species from around the world, the Garden offers interesting and inspiring experiences to more than 250,000 visitors each year. The stunning exhibits provide endless photo opportunities.

Day Four: Wednesday, February 12 - Travel to Tucson and visit historic San Xavier de...

Note: Several walks carry your own equipment up to one half mile each.

Breakfast: Come down by the time indicated on the itinerary, just be sure to allow enough time to arrive promptly for the morning activity!

Morning: Pack up, and load the vehicles for our trip to Tucson.

Lunch: Sack lunch in the field.

Afternoon: Visit the San Xavier del Bac Mission, the oldest intact European structure in Arizona, the church's interior is filled with marvelous original statuary and mural paintings. It is a place where visitors can truly step back in time and enter an authentic 18th Century space. A National Historic Landmark, San Xavier Mission was founded as a Catholic mission by Father Eusebio Kino in 1692. Construction of the current church began in 1783 and was completed in 1797.

Breakfast: Come down by the time indicated on the itinerary, just be sure to allow enough time to arrive promptly for the morning activity!

Morning: Visit Old Tucson movie set for more photo opportunities. Just fifteen minutes from Tucson at the base of the Tucson Mountains is a preserved slice of Americana, Old Tucson. Passing through the gates of a western frontier town, visitors from around the globe are transported back to a time when fearless men with six shooters ruled the Old West and the setting for the more than 300 movies and television productions filmed at the location since 1939. Expanding beyond the movie sets and memorabilia of this rich film history, Old Tucson is now the premier attraction in the Southwest to experience what life in Old West was really like. Just a stroll down the street is an adventure as you lean the perils of a cross-country trip by stagecoach or the demands of life as the sheriff of a Wild West town. Turning the corner, you might find yourself learning the ways of Native peoples in the Native Village.

Important information about your itinerary: Please know that while we do everything we can to finalize all aspects of our programs well in advance, there are logistics that occasionally must be altered. Our website will reflect the most recent information, and we are committed to providing you with final program details no later than eight weeks prior to the start of programs outside the U.S. and three weeks prior to the start of programs within the U.S. If you ever have questions about your program, please don't hesitate to contact us and we will be happy to assist you.

Need Help?

The latest in light, portable, easy-to-use QUIETVOX listening devices are available on Road Scholar programs.* Whether you are outdoors, in a crowd or in a museum environment where speaking loudly is discouraged, a listening device makes it feel like our experts are speaking clearly and directly to you. Hear for yourself on a Road Scholar adventure!

*Please note that due to the nature of some programs, the remote location or government regulations, listening devices may not be available. If you’d like to know for sure if your program will offer listening devices, just call and ask an Advisor!